How to eat healthy during the holiday season!
We all need tips when transitioning (seasons, holidays, and off of sugar). Here are our top tips for ending sugar cravings for good:
LIFESTYLE, NOT A DIET
Your health is not a short-term fix, it’s a way of life. My rule of thumb is to stick to your plan 80-90% of the time. The other 10-20% is life and offers healthy flexibility. Working on nutrition should not be punishment. Taste your food, find out what you enjoy and find pleasure in trying new things!
FOCUS ON NUTRIENTS, NOT CALORIES
While the amount of calories you consume is crucial for weight loss, the quality of your food is often more important. Losing weight isn't about cutting calories. Your brain is looking for nutrients, not calories, and [your brain] will prod you to eat until you're satisfied.
GET ORGANIZED
There’s no point in keeping track of what you eat if you don’t plan. The key to success is planning on what you are GOING TO DO rather than focusing on what you are NOT going to do. Use the Meal Planner to plan out your week, and stick to it!
STABILIZE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
This is my number one suggestion during this time of year! Don’t save your meals and avoid eating on the days you have a holiday party or meal. When you do this, you inevitably set yourself to overeat and even binge on sugary foods and snacks. Set yourself up for success and eat several small, balanced meals throughout your day instead of three large portions to avoid dips in blood sugar. Ideally, this would be when you first wake in the morning and every 2-4 hours thereafter. If you do this, your body will produce more serotonin, you'll feel happier and you'll sleep much better at night. We've created a printable handout which will be a useful guide for identifying the symptoms of high and low blood sugar levels, and tips for maintaining healthy levels.
FEED YOU GUT
Did you know we are only 10% human? 90% of our cells are nonhuman, microbial cells. We really are what we eat, digest and absorb. Probiotics (healthy gut bugs) call the shots and control the tempo by helping our bodies digest and absorb nutrients, synthesize certain vitamins, and rally against intruders, such as influenza and toxic cancer-forming carcinogens. Eating 5-9 cups of non-starchy veggies a day and foods like sauerkraut and kefir, help to feed your good bacteria!
DRINK MORE WATER & PLANT-BASED INFUSIONS
There are so many reasons to stay hydrated—hunger is often disguised as thirst, it boosts your metabolism, and water is the best energy drink available! Focus on room temperature water, herbal teas and plant-based infused water (with cut up citrus, herbs, veggies, and fruit).
MOVE IT!
Choose an activity that you LOVE, don’t use exercise as punishment and don’t burn yourself out. If you don’t like running on the treadmill, don’t. It’s not sustainable. Instead, choose something that makes you forget you are exercising, that brings you joy and feels utterly blissful afterward.
SLEEP, MORE PLEASE!
The old saying 'you snooze, you lose' couldn't be more accurate when it comes to shedding pounds and staying healthy. The brain craves carbohydrates when you're tired due to increased hunger hormones, so you could unknowingly sabotage even the best-laid plans.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Be a conscious eater and listen to your bodies’ hunger and satiety cues. Just because the plate is full of food, doesn’t mean you have to finish it. You cannot, I repeat, cannot listen to your body if you’re famished. So that blood sugar control is imperative!!! If your blood sugar is in check and you sit down to eat when you’re hungry, not starving, your body will tell you when to stop. But you need to pay attention!
STAY POSITIVE
You are enough just as you are. Making a lifestyle shift is actually re-becoming you, getting your life back and creating the life you want. Remember your WHY…this is about returning to the healthy you and feeling amazing, having energy, zero pain and living a long healthy life. If you catch yourself with the negative self-talk, write a list and transform that sentence into a positive affirmation. Train your mind to see the good in every situation. You are so worth it!
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